The real home run record...
Of this season's home run leaders, only one has a chance to hit as many as 60 and that would be the Phillies' monstrous first baseman, Ryan Howard who has 58 with 3 games left to play. Big Papi a.k.a. David Ortiz who's second in the home run race has 54 with 3 games remaining. Apparently these were hit without the benefit of steroids, human growth hormones or that clear cream preferred by Barry Bonds. Now let's look at the home run totals from 1998 to 2001. When Mark McGwire hit a record breaking 70 home runs in 1998, Sammy Sosa finished second with 66. Just 3 years later Barry Bonds broke McGwire's record when he hit 73. Whether those home runs were hit with the aid of illegal drugs or not, those records should and will stand. Are they tainted ? You bet and only forever...
Now let's look at the real home run record. Babe Ruth with 60 home runs in 1927 held the record for 34 years before it was broken by the Yankees' Roger Maris. When the steroid-free Roger Maris stepped to the plate on a cool autumn day on October 1st, 1961 at Yankee Stadium the record would soon be his. As Maris followed the flight of his 61st home run into the rightfield stands off of Tracy Stallard all the pent-up frustration of the media hounding and pressure was over with one swing of the bat. For those who feel that Maris had an edge over the Bambino with more games played (Babe hit 60 in 154 games to Maris' 59), their total plate appearances were nearly identical, 698 for Maris, 692 for Ruth...
The 61 in '61 record of Roger Maris would stand for 37 years. To me, it still is the real record...
Ten Timeline Memories...
- [1951] The 1st network football game televised in color was the University of California vs. Penn on CBS-TV (the rumors about Brent Musberger doing the play-by-play are false. He did the color)...
- [1954] There have been better catches since but Willie Mays makes what's considered the greatest catch of all-time against Cleveland's Vic Wertz in game one of the World Series. The Giants not only win that game, they sweep the Indians in 4...
- [1957] Back to the Polo Grounds. The Giants play their last game in New York, losing to the Pirates 9-1 in front of 11,606 what have to be either crazy or diehard fans...
- [1974] John Lennon sits in as a guest disc jockey on WNEW-FM (I believe this was on Scott Muni's show)...
- [1976] Tommy Lasorda replaces Walter Alston as Dodger manager (Alston was mgr. for 22 years, Lasorda rings up 20)...
- [1978] After serving barely over a month, Pope John Paul I is found dead of a heart attack (although there are some questions that remain - there are those who feel he was poisoned). The Pope was 66...
- [1982] Seven people die in Chicago after taking capsules of Extra-Strength Tylenol that had been laced with cyanide (264,000 are recalled)...
- [1986] For the 1st time in baseball history 2 brothers who are both rookies, pitch against each other in a game. Greg Maddux defeats brother Mike (Greg waltzes into the Hall of Fame 5 years after he retires which is the waiting period. Mike will buy a ticket to get in)...
- [1989] Zsa Zsa Gabor is convicted of battery charges for slapping a Beverly Hills police officer who had pulled her and her Rolls-Royce over for expired plates...
- [1998] Hasbro announces plans for an action figure of retired U.S. General Colin Powell (G.I. Powell ?)...
#1 on this date: 1977] "Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band" - Meco...
Gold Standard: 1969] "Put A Little Love In Your Heart" - Jackie DeShannon...
Released on this date: 1967] "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" - Gladys Knight & The Pips...
Premiered on this date: 1953] "Make Room For Daddy" starring Danny Thomas (will run 18 seasons)...1960] "My Three Sons" starring Fred MacMurray (lasts 12 seasons)...1963] "My Favorite Martian" starring Ray Walston (has a short 3 season run but it should've been more)...1971] "McMillan And Wife" starring Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James (has a 6 season run)...1985] "MacGyver" starring Richard Dean Anderson (for a 7-year run)...1986] "Designing Women" (for 7 seasons) and finally...1987] "Thirtysomething" (4 years)...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
"Nobody Asked Me But...."
In the 50's, Jimmy Cannon had a column that was titled "Nobody Asked Me But" and in honor of one of the greatest of all writers, I will occasionally try to live up to his standards with some of my comments. So here goes:
The people at ESPN are the only ones who believe Terrell Owens story...I offer 2 quotes which sum up the way I feel. Jim McCabe, Boston Globe Staff: "She (meaning fired Owens publicist Kim Etheredge) has (had) to come up with explanations for a guy for whom there is no excuse. She has (had) to not only collect tickets for the circus, she has (had) to tame the lions and swing on the trapeze, too". Now, Senior Corporal of the Dallas Police, Glenn White: "The officers reacted because they were called to this location to do this job. Now they're being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person. Those officers are 10 times better than this man"...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...
Andrew "Dice" Clay (48), Bryant Gumble (58), Jerry Lee Lewis (71), Anita Ekberg (75) and Lizabeth Scott (84)...
Timeline Countdown: Either 3 or 4 days until major league playoffs depending on what happens in final games, 22 days until World Series and 93 days until 2007.
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Saturday, September 30, 2006...
Ten Timeline Memories for the Weekend...
- [1947] The World Series is televised for the 1st time with sponsors playing a "hefty" $65,000 for the entire Yankee-Dodger series...
- [1955] 24-year old Hollywood star James Dean is killed in a two-car collision while racing near Cholame (CA)...
- [1960] "The Howdy Doody Show" bows out with the silent Clarabelle (played by Bob Keeshan, future "Captain Kangaroo" speaking for the 1st time. Clarabelle simply says: "Goodbye kids"...
- [1962] The 1st-year New York Mets lose a record 120th game and they hit into a triple-play to boot...
- [1972] Future Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente picks up his 3,000th and final hit as he'll go down in a tragic plane crash on New Year's Eve...
#1 on this date: 1971] "Maggie May" - Rod Stewart ("Reason To Believe" was the "A" side)...
"Sayonara": 1985] Howard Stern is fired by WNBC after 3 years (he will resurface at WXRK shortly)...
Premiered on this date: 1950] Radio's "Grand Ole Opry" is televised for the 1st time...1951] "The Red Skelton Show" (will last for 20 seasons)...1960] "The Flintstones" (the 1st primetime animation show runs 6 years and in reruns and several incarnations - forever)...1965] Donovan makes his debut on "Shindig" (which lasts for 2 seasons)...1982] "Cheers" begins an 11-year run...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...
Martina Hingis (26), Jenna Elfman (35), Fran Drescher (49), Deborah Allen (53), Marilyn McCoo (63), Len Cariou (67), Johnny Mathis (71), Angie Dickinson (75) and Deborah Kerr (85)...
Timeline Countdown: 21 days until the World Series and 92 days until 2007.
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Sunday, October 1, 2006...
- [1967] The Boston Red Sox Impossible Dream comes true as they clinch their 1st American League pennant since 1946 on the last day of the season (with a 3-way tie between Boston, Detroit and Minnesota, the Red Sox beat the Twins and the Tigers lose)...
- [1971] Walt Disney World opens in Orlando (FL). 10 years later, to-the-date, EPCOT opens in 1981 (EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow - how many people knew that ? How many people cared ?)...
- [1975] Heavyweight champ Muhammad Ali retains his title in the "Thrilla in Manilla" with a TKO in the 15th round over Joe Frazier...
- [1993] 12-year old Polly Klaas is abducted from her California home. Her body is found more than 2 months later...
- [1996] A federal grand jury indicts Unabomber suspect Theodore Kaczynski for a 1994 mail bomb slaying...
Released on this date: 1964] "The Beatles vs. The Four Seasons" LP (on Vee Jay)...
"Sayonara": 1970] Curtis Mayfield leaves the Impressions for a highly successful solo career...
Premiered on this date: 1952] "This Is Your Life" hosted by Ralph Edwards (the series runs in its original form for 9 years)...1955] "The Honeymooners" (will last for 16 seasons)...1962] "The Lucy Show" which features Lucille Ball as Lucy Carmichael (runs for 12 years)...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in the timeline]...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday"...
Randy Quaid (56), Annie Leibovitz (57), Julie Andrews (71), Tom Bosley (79), Roger Williams (82), Jimmah Carter (82) and part-time actor and giant tomato grower James Whitmore (85)...
Timeline Countdown: 20 days until the World Series and 91 days until 2007.
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